Senior lawmakers and officials of the ruling Saenuri Party called on the government Wednesday to renegotiate the purchase of 40 Lockheed Martin F-35A stealth fighters from the United States, saying the deal would be unfair.
Last week, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that it would buy the 40 F-35 Block 3s over four years starting in 2018, with an option to buy 20 more later.
“The government made the right decision in choosing the F-35A for its stealth capabilities, but compared to Japan, the conditions (for the purchase) are strikingly unfair,” Rep. Rhee In-je, a six-term lawmaker of the ruling party, said during a meeting of senior party lawmakers and Supreme Council members.
Yoo Ki-june, a Supreme Council member, claimed that Japan won various benefits from the U.S. in return for its purchase because it held an open bid. (Yonhap News)
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